


Snake in the Grass

by Dragonie



Series: Rain in the Desert [10]
Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout: New Vegas
Genre: Don't Worry It's Okay, F/M, Fluff, Pets, injured animal, shameless fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-01
Updated: 2017-08-01
Packaged: 2018-12-09 19:59:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11676054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dragonie/pseuds/Dragonie
Summary: A family doesn't have to be a husband, a wife, a son, and a daughter in a house in the suburbs. A family can be two indestructible mailmen and a half-rattlesnake half-coyote genetic experiment by a campfire on the trail.Written for the August Month of Fanfiction Challenge, Day 1: "Shameless Fluff"





	Snake in the Grass

                Stars were bright out here, far from Vegas, the Milky Way splashed across the night sky. The fire cracked and flickered, filling the air with the scent of woodsmoke. They kept it burning low even after dinner was cooked, to chase away the chill of the night. They could afford such a luxury here, counting on the seclusion of the gulch to hide them from whatever might lurk in the darkness.

                Ulysses lounged, cross-legged, reading a book by the firelight, his free hand absent-mindedly stroking Jane’s hair and neck as she rested her head in his lap, sprawled out comfortably over the dirt. She sighed contentedly, leaned into his touch. Peaceful nights like these were precious treasures in the wasteland.

                The air was still, smoke rising upwards in lazy twists and curls and disappearing into the brilliant sky. Heat from the fire warmed her cheek, and Ulysses’ fingers were sending pleasant shivers down her spine. Few sounds broke the air but the crackling the flames, Ulysses’ low, steady breathing, and the occasional mournful howl of a coyote far in the distance. Jane grinned and snuggled her face sleepily into her lover’s belly, when another sound reached her ears: a hiss and a rattle, small but near. From the sudden tension she felt in Ulysses’ muscles, he’d heard it too.

                “Nightstalker,” he cautioned under his breath. “Somewhere nearby. Hide in holes, caves, might’ve evaded our eyes.” Slowly, he lowered his book, reached out towards his gun, but Jane laid a hand on his arm, stopping him.

                “Let me handle it,” she whispered. “Always had a way with ‘em.”

                He gave her an uncertain look, but made no move to stop her or reach for his weapon. She clambered to her feet carefully, steadying herself on his shoulder, and snatched up her own rifle, cradling it in her arms. Ulysses shifted silently into a crouch, gun close at hand, ready to back her up if things went south.

                She crept cautiously, one foot in front of the other, towards the source of the noise, a rocky hollow that hardly looked big enough to house one of the beasts; why they’d overlooked it in their initial sweep of the campsite, perhaps. The rattle grew more insistent as she drew near, but something was, well, _off_ about it, the sound smaller than it ought to have been. From the gloom of the hollow, she thought she heard a high-pitched noise, somewhere between a bark and a squeak, and realisation dawned on her.

                “Hey, Ulysses,” she turned and hissed back over her shoulder, rifle held loosely at her side. “Toss me some of that Brahmin jerky from the pack, would ya?”

                He did as she asked him, a look of curiosity on his face.

                “Believe you can tame the beast?”

                “Don’t think it’s much of a beast that’s in need of tamin’, here.”

                She crouched down, chucking a hunk of jerky by the entrance of the hollow. A few moments passed, and then a little snakelike head darted out from the rock, tasting the air with a forked tongue before it quickly snatched up the morsel and retreated back inside. Jane’s face split into a grin.

                “Didja see that?” She turned her head back to Ulysses.

                “Too young to be a threat,” Ulysses nodded, shoulders relaxing. “That age, venom might slow dogs, molerats, Radroaches, not men.”

                “Poor baby must’ve got separated from her mother. Here ya go, girl.” Jane gripped a second strip of jerky by one end, held the other end out towards the hollow. Ulysses raised an eyebrow.

                “Careful,” he warned. “Venom might not bother you; never said the bite wouldn’t hurt.”

                “Ssh!” she hissed back. “I know what I’m doin’, don’t you worry.”

                The little head poked out again, forked tongue flicking about. Now that she had the pup’s attention, Jane moved the jerky just a little bit further out. The pup hesitated; looked at her, blinked its nictitating membranes, and then two tiny paws emerged from the darkness. Its movements, she observed, were unsteady; it looked like it was limping. Curious, she moved the jerky away again, and sleek scales and sandy fur slithered uncertainly out of the hole, followed at last by a rattle-headed tail, now quiet and still.

                “Good girl!” She finally relinquished the jerky, and the pup grabbed it eagerly, letting her scritch it behind the ears as it swallowed the morsel whole. Ulysses climbed to his feet and moved over beside her, watching with interest.

                “Weren’t lying, said you had a gift.” He sounded impressed.

                Jane chuckled.

                “Always have. Think I get it from my mother. She took care of the livestock, back in the Mothers. Could handle animals like it was instinct. Woulda liked her, I think. You two could’ve talked Bighorners.”

                The pup finished its meal, nuzzled at her hand as she petted it.

                “Wound on its hind leg,” Ulysses pointed out a nasty gouge, badly healing, the fur around it matted with blood; the source of its limp, no doubt, just barely illuminated by the firelight. “Got separated from the pack, couldn’t keep up, seems like.”

                “Ah, poor thing!” Jane stroked its flanks comfortingly. “We can spare some healing powder, can’t we? Plenty of broc flower in these parts.”

                Ulysses shrugged a shoulder vaguely.

                “Means anything to you, won’t stop you.”

                She grinned and kissed him on the cheek – making his eyes widen in surprise – before heading over to rifle through the pack.

                The healing itself was not the easiest task – the pup wasn’t well-trained like Rex was, and getting it to keep it injured leg still was a chore in itself – but they managed it eventually, and were finally left with one fire burning low and one bandaged Nightstalker panting happily beside it.

               “All better now, girl?” Jane smiled and tickled the pup under the chin. It licked her hand with its little forked tongue.

                “Might be no different, in the long run,” said Ulysses, absent-mindedly petting the creature on its scaly hide. “Won’t survive long, on its own; be easy prey for larger beasts.”

                Jane gave him a wry look.

                “Regular ray of sunshine, you are. ‘Sides,” she shrugged. “Don’t see why she can’t tag along with us. Been missin’ havin’ a dog about the place.” She combed her fingers through the soft fur of its chest. “Big sis had a huntin’ dog called Sand-Sister; always liked the name. Reckon I’ll call her that.”

                He looked at her, the corner of his mouth quirking up.

                “Have a habit of picking up strays, Gentle Rain.” There was a trace of amusement in his voice, and she snickered.

                “Don’t worry, my man; you’re still my favourite.” She slung her arms around his broad shoulders, pulled herself into his lap, pressing her forehead against his for a spell. The ghost of a smirk flitted across his face as his arms settled around her waist.

                Sand-Sister yawned behind her, serpentine jaws opening wide, limped up beside them and curled into a ball.

                “Beast has the right of it,” Ulysses murmured into her ear, hot breath tickling her neck. “Should sleep now, be on the trail early.”

                “C’n sleep jus’ fine like this,” Jane mumbled into his shoulder. He let out a low chuckle which rumbled against her cheek, tightened his arms around her, and pulled them both down gently to the ground.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to Dholes for the prompt!


End file.
